Timber-jack.



PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906.

J. M. WILLIAMS. TIMBER JACK. APPLIoATIoN FILED ooT.25.1so5.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES IOHN M. WILLIAMS, 0F sHALER PATENT OFFICE.

TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY OOUN TY,

PENNSYLVANIA.

TIMBER-JACK.

Specificationvof Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed October 25, 1905. Serial No. 284,299.

My invention relates to timber-jacks or de-i vices for transportingheavy timbers, beams, or like articles.

To enable change of direction to be effected without lifting the timberand changing the position of the jack, the roller-frame is usuallypivoted to the base, so that bythe use of controlling means or byswinging the timber any desired direction may be effected withoutreadjustment of the jack. I provide new and improved means of pivotalattach# ment between the base and the roller-frame, i

whereby great ease of movement is obtained despite the Weight of theload. An annular flange is attached to the base, usually said ange beingintegral with circular metallic plate fixed on said base. The roller issupported onV standards arising from the opposite sides of a circularplate adjacent to the edge. Said circular plate is pivoted to said baseand antifriction members interposed between the plate adjacent to itsedge and said flan e on the base, a lip downwardly depending from theroller-frame plate encirclingsaid flange to protect the same from dirtor foreign matter. Means are provided for rotating the parts in relationto each other. It will be seen that the weight of the load on the rolleris applied directly on the ball or roller bearings between theroller-supporting plate and the base, so that 'no binding or frictionresults.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention,the roller being shown upward. Fig. 42 is a vertical section of the samealong the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing thewormgear mechanism.

The following is a detailed description of my invention as the same isillustrated in the drawings.

The base of my jack is preferably formed as a frame consisting of twolongitudinal pieces 1 1 and cross-pieces connecting the same, 2 2. Ifdesired, however, the said frame may be constructed of a single piece ofheavy plank or other timber or may be constructed of cast or othermetal.

' 3 is a metal plate bolted or otherwise secured to the base-as, forinstance, by bolts 4 4, as shown. In case the base be of metal the saidplate may be cast or made integral therewith, as desired. When theconstruction shown in the drawin s is used, I prefer to make my plate inthe orm of an annular ring through which a bolt maybe passed. Around theedge of plate 3 I form a flange 6,upon the edge of which I provide araceway 7 for the balls 8 8.

upon plate 3 and encircle the same by means of its circumferentialflange 10, thus keeping out dirt and foreign matter from the raceways.

11 is a circumferential shoulder within the flange 10, which is providedwith raceway 12, the complement of raceway 7. In the center of plate 9 Iprovide a countersunk aperture 13 for the bolt, either forming said'countersunk portion by stamping said plate, or, if said plate be' ofcast metal, casting the same with said countersunk portion, as shown inFig. 2.

14 is a bolt passing.v through plates 3 and 9 for a pivot and providedwith nut 15 and washer 16, bymeans of which it may be the two racewaysfor proper action of the balls 8 8. If desired, I may change thecrosssectional form of my raceways to allow rollerbearings to beintroduced therein instead of the balls 8 8.

gral with or otherwise attached to the plate 9, adjacent to oppositesides thereof, as shown, between which is journaled the roller 18, ofwood'or metal, as desired.

19 19 aretwo journal-lugs attached to the base, in which is journaledthe shaft 20, having rigidly mounted thereon the Worm 21 and provided atone extremity with hand-wheel or other grip 22.

23 23 are a series of teeth attached to or made integral with thecircumferential edge of plate 9 and of proper pitch and size to engagethe worm 21. Said teeth may be provided around the entire circumferenceof the allow of desired rotation, as desired. I pre- 9 is an annularplate adapted to fit down' plate 9 or for only a sufiicient arc thereoft0v with spider-arms to form. central boss 5,

tightened to bring into proper conjunction 17 17 are twojournal-standards made inte- IOO fer, however, to form them around itsentire circumference. It is evident that by rotating the worm 21 theplate 9 and the mechanism mounted thereon will be rotated in the desireddirection and to the desired degree.

The operation of my jack is as follows: If used in the position shown inFig. 1, the jack is placed under the timber or other object to be movedand the same pushed along over the roller 18 in the desired direction.In case a change of direction is desired-as, for instance, a corner tobe turned-the handwheel 22 is turned in the proper direction to swingthe plate 9 and its roller 18 to bring the timber into the properposition for lthe desired movement. of the jack may be reversed when themovement is considerable and the base of the jack be placed under and incontact with the timber and the roller underneath traveling on theground. lIn this manner any required distance may be traversed withoutthe posi tion of the timber on the jack being changed longitudinally.Where the ground or road is hard enough to sustain the roller withoutsinking, this method is preferred.

If desired, the plates may be simply pivoted together, as shown, withoutantifriction devices being interposed, as shown; but I find that the useof the same greatly facilitates thev operation of my invention, and thelocation of the same adjacent to the edges of the plates gives a widebearing-surface and enables the load to be sustained vertically withoutbinding, as would be the case if the antifriction means were appliedinside the standards 17 17 or omitted entirely. Any wabbling or lateralmotion is thus provided against and prevented. Y

If desired, the worm mechanism may b omitted and the jack rotated byswinging the timber but as the weight is great I find that some suchcontrolling and operating mechanism is highly preferable.

If desired, the position Although for the sake of clearness I havedescribed the illustrated construction of my invention with greatminuteness, I do not wish to be limited thereby, but claim, broadly- 1.In timber-jacks, a base, an annular plate attached to said base having aperipheral flange integral with said plate, a roller, a second annularplate supporting said roller, a lip integral with said second plate andadaptT ed to encircle said flange, raceways in said iiange and saidsecond plate, antifriction members adapted to occupy said raceways andmeans for pivoting said second plate to said first-mentioned plate,substantially as described.

2. In timber-jacks, a base, an annular plate attached to said base andhaving a raceway adjacent to the edge thereof, a second annular platepivoted to said first plate and having a downwardly-depending flangeadapted to encircle the edge of said first plate, a raceway in saidsecond plate adjacent t0 the edge thereof, antifriction members adaptedto occupy said raceways, a roller, roller-standards attached to saidsecond plate substantially in a vertical line with said raceways andmeans for rotating said second plate.

3. In timber-jacks, a base, an annular langed plate attached to saidbase, a roller, a plate supporting said roller and having an annular lipadapted to encircle vsaid flange, pivotal connection between saidplates, teeth on the exterior of said lip and a worm member carried bysaid base and adapted to engage said teeth, as and for the purposedescribed.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, this 18th day of October, 1905.

JOHN M. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A. LAURENCE, FRANK HARRIS.

